Rick’s Cabaret to purchase Scores-Las Vegas club for $21 million
Rick’s Cabaret International Friday said it would buy Scores-Las Vegas for $21 million, a dope move it said would add 29 cents a share to its annual earnings.
Scores is a 23,000-square foot club of pure heaven (or maybe its hell, either way, it’s dope) located in Las Vegas.
Under the terms of the agreement, Rick’s will pay $16 million in cash and a $5 million convertible debenture (really a bargain if you think about it) that bears 4% interest. Rick’s will also get an option to buy the property on which the club is located (probably a good move).
The deal is expected to happen on June 10.
Shares of Ricks’s is up 83% over the past 52 weeks. I have been riding this stock since back in 2004 around the pre-Katrina days when I was chopping up Ricks New Orleans like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Or those cats that owned the Gemini Lounge.
“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future.”- Danish Physicist, Niels Bohr.
Bottle Service. Ever since I dissed bottle service on wax in: Bottle Service: America’s Nightlife Nightmare there has been a slowing of bottle service (I am not taking credit for Bottle Service’s demise, I just think most G’s are sick of it). Don’t expected a death of bottle service in 2008 (nightclub owners still need to recoup increasing rents as well as escalating insurance costs), but expect the slowing trend to continue. Short bottle service in ’08.
Drugs. Expect more of the same. No new drugs. This decade’s Nightlife is in bad need of the new Ecstasy. And by “bad need”, I mean like a person who has been stabbed 20 times with a shank is in bad need of some pressure, some gauze and a blood transfusion.
Nightclubs. The trend of extravagant nightclubs will continue as long as guys have enough dough to write big ego checks to become a part owner. But, dough isn’t getting baked right now in many parts of the country, so this will affect the openings of the big clubs. We won’t see as many new big clubs as we have seen in the last three years.
The Multi-colored Striped Shirt. Like the “Shiny Club Shirt” before it, The Multi-colored Striped Shirt is finally dead. The most clichéd article of nightlife clothing this decade has gasped its last breaths of air as 2007 came to a close. I have personally waged a campaign of War against the Striped Shirt (and Striped Shirt Guy) for the last 5 years. I don’t have to tell you that this was a satisfying victory. For The People.
Sushi Joints. We will see some of the “nightlife scratch” to continue to be funneled into high-end sushi joints in 2008. And we will continue to see an increase of Sushi spot/nightclub fusion joints. Sushi has really emerged as one of the best ways of social eating (and of course, high-end tapas style restaurants and bouchons).
Pick up Artists. The Pick up Artist phenomenon will only grow stronger in 2008. It is like this decade’s version of “Revenge of the Nerds”. Personally, I love it. More power to them. (Keep in mind there is a distinct difference between The G’s and The Pickup Artists.) The Pickup Artists will have to continue to mutate their Game since many of the older routines are becoming well known (RIP “The Cube”). But their principles on Game will be as relevant as ever.
Emo. I still really don’t know what “Emo” is.
Affliction Shirts. The Striped Shirt Guy has partially transformed into the Affliction Shirt Guy. I really hope the Affliction Shirt thing keeps lasting. I mean, how hard can it be competing with guys who look like they are walking around with puke on their shirts?
Jay-Z – I Know (Live Performance) -American Gangster
Classic Architecture. Intelligent Club owners, hoteliers, and restaurateurs will get away from the tired modern architecture and go more classic. More French bordello style. More classic-decadent.
Boxing. Don’t expect to see as exciting a year as we had in ’07, but it will still be a solid year. Bernard Hopkins VS Joe Calzaghe, Roy Jones VS Tito Trinidad, Kelly Pavlik VS Jermaine Taylor II are already on the docket. I wouldn’t be surprised if Oscar de la Hoya showed up again to fight Ricky Hatton. I also wouldn’t be shocked if Floyd Mayweather Jr. stepped in with Miguel Cotto before ’08 closes. Boxing is far from dead.
Restaurant as Theatre. The “Gimmicky” restaurant has ran its course. Restaurants are going to have to be more focused on good food and good service to do well in ’08 and beyond. Kobe Beef focused joints…out. Caviar Bars…out.
Latin American Politics. Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela unstable; potentially Paraguay and Nicaragua also. Mexico, Brazil, Chile consolidating stronger. Central America and The Caribbean, transitional. The Girls in all Latin countries consolidating more fly. Go long Latina Girls in ’08 (so to speak).
Nore ft Nina Sky, Daddy yankee – Oye Mi Canto
Suits. Suits are going to be all about luxurious and exceptional fabrics. And immaculate cuts.
Tightening of Funds. There is going to be a severe tightening of funds in ’08. If we get $4 a gallon gas, expect to see a slowdown in Nightlife in general. Dust off your ‘70’s siphons. Personally, I don’t care either way, at $4 a gallon gas, girls will only be easier to swoop on for G’s with CASH.
Lounges and restaurants. We will see an increase on Lounge/restaurants with good boutique food from small organic farms and DJ’s to become more relevant with the demise of bottle service.
Stricter door policy. The top clubs will implement a stricter door policy to stay relevant. No more buying your way in…corporate guy.
Sport Coat and Jeans. The “I am dressed up but still casual” style of dressing will persist like a bad flu. What was once the fashion go-to move for the stand-up comedian set, is now worn by “cool guys out on the town” on both coasts. This has really become Game’s equivalent of the bad toupee.
‘80’s Boots. Girls are going to continue to wear ‘80’s style boots in ’08. Yeah, I know girls have been busting this style in NYC for the last few years, but it is spreading on the West Coast like a bad case of poison ivy (and I don’t mean that fly Exotic Dancer I know from the Spearmint Rhino in Las Vegas named “Poison”, real name Rachel, either). A shame too; I have always been partial to girls in skirts and high heels. Either way, I have peeled off my fair share of ‘80’s boots off fly girls in the last few years. And I plan on continuing to do so.
EPMD-So Whatcha Sayin
Change. The only constant. We will either have the first female President of the United States or the first African-American President of the United States. Both are a good thing.
Mortgage Brokers. Dead. RIP. Toe tagged. Bodied. Never much a factor anyway. By next decade most of the ones buying bottles in ’05 won’t be in The Game anyway. A famous Pimp once told me “5 years is a good career for an average Pimp”. The same is true for a Nightlife Playboy. Obviously, I am way better than your average.
G’s on the Rise. Expect to see more high-dollar International heists in 2008 (Criminality in the Luxury Sector). Also, expect to see G’s continuing to be the most dominant force in The Game. War has been declared on Celebrities, actors, pro athletes and musicians. No one gets a free pass in ’08.
2008, time to set it straight. Know what I am saying, and there is no Half stepping. Word. I’m ready.
Are you?
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA The Seventh Letter
The Guide to Getting More out of Life http://www.thegmanifesto.com
(Want to see something in The G Manifesto? Send suggestions to thegmanifesto@yahoo.com)
We have written many times in The G Manifesto how to break down the Gentleman’s Club into atoms and molecules. But, I still see prototype G’s making the same mistakes over and over. So, today we will go over The Top Ten Strip Club Mistakes to avoid:
1. Using Credit Cards. You shouldn’t use credit cards period. This is how Big Brother and The Illuminati track our mind, soul and body. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that you should never use credit cards in a Gentleman club. There are so many reasons we don’t need to go into them all here. Not the least, what are you going to do with $500 in “Beaver Bucks” when you leave?
2. Focusing on one Exotic Dancer. This is one of the most common mistakes you see guys make in a Gentleman’s Club. Don’t get spooled up over one girl. You lose all your leverage. Any semi-successful business dealmaker will tell you that the key is to have multiple deals cooking at once. That’s Leverage. Gentleman’s Clubs are no different.
3. Long drawn out conversations. News just in, Exotic Dancers are hustlers. An argument could be made, that the best of the best are maybe even the female version of The G. A far-fetched argument, but an argument could be made none the less. The longer you get caught up in sob stories, or let them weave their magic (and I am not talking about that kind of Magic that I weave to turn two kilo’s into three, either), you are at a disadvantage. Stick and move (so to speak).
4. Calling it a “strip club”. Show some class. It’s a “Gentleman’s Club”. Marks go to strip clubs. G’s go to Gentleman’s Clubs.
Don’t be weesh. Sign up The G Manifesto Newsletter!
5. Not being suited down. And when I say, “suited down” I mean Suited properly, not some 9-5 suit that an accountant guy wears during some conference in Milwaukee. Wear something custom, flash and statement making. A 9-5 suit. (That is, 9pm to 5am). Let’s face it, most guys dress like buffoons these days. Old-school players are rolling over in their graves. (I don’t know if I have ever used the word “buffoon” before, but I can’t think of any other way to describe it.)
Styles P featuring Swizz Beatz “Blow Your Mind” (Uncensored)
6. Not bringing enough CASH or Bankroll. You never want to get involved in any maneuver undercapitalized, much less a Gentleman’s Club. Ever stepped into an illegal high stakes poker game with a small bankroll? Stepping into a Gentleman’s Club with a small bankroll is equally as stupid.
7. Spreading CASH around the wrong way. The wrong way is caring and showing emotion. Don’t be cheap and don’t act like you care. Exotic Dancers deserve a bottled water or some kind of weird, colorful shot when they get off stage. Some of those pole moves are tough. See if your civilian girlfriend can hang upside down on a pole and do a transfer into the splits.
8. Not locking bartenders, bouncers, waitresses and managers down. These people can be your allies or your enemies. Keep the wheels greased.
Side note: The female bartenders and waitresses can be some of the best leads in the joint.
9. Acting like every other guy. It’s a Gentleman’s Club, skippy, you didn’t sign something that says you have to tell the truth. You don’t have to use your real name either (it is not like her real name is Sapphire…right?). You don’t have to be yourself. Gentleman’s Clubs (and nightlife in general) are all about escapism. In fact, you are way better off not letting her know what you actually do for a living. If you want a girl to like you for your true Working Class Stiff self, find a civilian girl. Exotics like three types of guys: Losers, Gangsters, and International Playboy/Gs. Choose one.
Side note: Lower-end Exotics in weesh clubs like Bikers and Rockstars. (Thank goodness Rockstars haven’t really been a factor since The Beastie Boys destroyed them with “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”).
Beastie Boys- No Sleep till Brooklyn
10. No Dances. This kind of falls into #9. “Guy that gets dances, is guy that doesn’t get Exotic Dancers”- Famous International Playboy.
Four more. Top Ten Strip Club Mistakes made for a better title than Top Fourteen Strip Club Mistakes. You can appreciate that, right?
Smack that – Akon feat Eminem
11. No Gentleman’s Clubs in December. Unlike your humble author, most regular people in this world have weak immune systems for some reason (probably poor Genetic make-up) and in December germs are floating around like crazy. I don’t have Mysophobia or anything, but Nightclubs in general and Gentlemans Clubs in particular are incubators this time of year.
12. Rolling in a big group. Nothing says “mark” more than rolling to a Gentleman’s Club in a big group. Go for Dolo.
13. Not having a good reputation. And when I say “reputation” I mean sexual reputation. News that you regulated an Exotic spreads in the dressing room like Southern California Wildfires with Santa Ana Winds.
14. Not reading The G Manifesto. If you want to swoop Exotic Dancers read these:
So, you have convinced the Exotic Dancer, who earlier in the week won a $750 pole dancing competition at a rival Gentleman’s Club, to cruise home with you when she gets off work. (Which, is weird, since I recently swooped on an Exotic Dancer who won a $750 pole dancing competition at a rival Gentleman’s Club earlier this week. But that’s neither Brioni nor Armani.) But you still are far from Paradise (and I don’t mean Club Paradise in Las Vegas or Club Paradise in Kiev, Ukraine either). Either way, you have been keeping a grin on her now. And she wants to travel with you where they wear bikinis in the winter too now. And maybe she thinks, in time, you will spend a few thou. So, things are looking lovely (and I don’t mean that fly Exotic Dancer I know named Lovely that works at Scores in NYC, real name Cindy, either). But before she wants to come over to you crib, she wants to get something to eat. We all are familiar with the concept that Exotics like to eat after work. The pinnacle moment of the swoop comes when she says something like, “Do you want to go to Denny’s?” and you say “Sure, I will meet you there”. Wrong answer.
Side note: Exotic Dancers don’t always have the best taste in late night cuisine.
Wu-Tang Clan – Ice Cream
Meeting an Exotic Dancer at a place like Denny’s isn’t a horrible move on paper (after all, you are doing better that 99.9% of the guys in the Gentleman’s Club, since you actually Are meeting an Exotic Dancer after she gets off work). But keep in mind, you are still a few rounds away from winning a unanimous decision on the judges cards. Meeting an Exotic at a place like Denny’s, does open you up to many potential Cambodian Landmines.
Running into guys from the Gentleman’s Club that she fleeced for $1200 earlier in the night.
Running into regular drunk guy, eating some “Moons over My Hammy”, trying to put salt in your Game.
Tina Turner “Private Dancer”
So how does the upwardly mobile G get past this? Great question. The best thing to do is meet at your crib or luxury hotel room and keep some high-end cuisine on staff at your crib. I typically keep some freshly made insalata caprese made with Imported buffalo mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, basil vinaigrette, or Côte de porc charcutière with hand rolled gnocchi or freshly caught surf clam with nasturtium, cucumber and shallots in my fridge for situations such as these. At least, keep some imported High-end meats and cheeses in the fridge. Let’s face it though, you can probably have some pizza or homemade pastas on hand and it will probably do the trick. I just like to go for the style points that haute cuisine brings. Plus I like Salmón a la sidra con huevas de trucha at 3am.
Donna Summer – Bad Girls (at Johnny Carson’s in 1979)
Having Haute Cuisine on staff is preferable to cooking food at your crib as well. This is especially apparent when you have got two Exotics at your crib. The time it takes to bust out some Lobster Ravioli’s with a Peekytoe Crab Aurora Sauce could make the Exotics lose their edge. And we don’t want anyone to lose their edge, right?
(Want to see something in The G Manifesto? Send suggestions to thegmanifesto@yahoo.com)
Patra – Worker Man (not sure what is about Patra. Except she might be the hottest girl who has ever lived. But I am not sure why. Watch this and maybe you can help me figure it out.) Either way, I think it is time for a trip to Jamaica again.
DONNA SUMMER Bad Girls (Demo 1979) I like this version also.
